Shur'tugal
by MaiaSakamoto
Summary: The story of the original Eragon and how he formed the Dragon Riders. Rated T for possible violent scenes and language later. Please read and review!
1. Prologue

I was falling through empty space. My leg hit a rock jutting out of the cliff behind me. I clenched my teeth, fighting away the pain and exhaustion of the last few days. My leg was broken, and I could only blame myself. I had grown careless in the years of peace that had caressed Alagaesia and its inhabitants.

I had been blind to a dawning era of death and suffering until my own brother betrayed us all. He had wanted revenge when we refused to listen to him. He had wanted us to march on the dwarves, but our queen, Tamunora, would have none of it. Now his revenge was coming, but not in a way anyone, elf or dwarf could have predicted. The dragons were coming.

I was jolted from my thoughts when I suddenly hit a tree root sticking out of the side of the cliff. I hung on desperately, trying to stop my momentum from carrying me past the root and to certain death. I managed to cling to the root and looked down. My head spun with momentary relief when I realised how close I had come to death. The ground was only a few metres away, with sharp rocks, angled upwards, jutting out from the cliff. I scrambled down the last few metres, careful to keep the weight off my injured leg. When I reached the bottom I looked up. My stomach jolted with dread when I saw a face peering down at me. My brother smiled wickedly, and pulled his head back over the edge. Those blasted dragons! I thought angrily as I limped away from the cliff. They were coming for me and I had to hide. The only problem was, where?

* * *

It has been 5 years since I fell off that cliff. I now have a wife and son, a rare honour for elves. My son is named Eragon, and has great magical power for one so young. Our race has high hopes for him. I suppose I should tell the story of what happened after I fell off that cliff.

I was running. I had regained enough strength to heal my leg, and after a quick rest I had started running for my home in Ellesmera. A green dragon had pursued me for many weeks before I made it safely to the forest of Du Weldenvarden. It was a majestic and deadly beast, but one you would never want to have to fight.

When I had returned home I had needed to rest for many days before I was fit again. Then I resumed practicing my spells and archery. I practiced sword fighting every day until I nearly dropped from exhaustion. After deeming myself presentable I washed and dressed in my finest clothing. It was time to warn the queen of the impending danger.

"Atra esternί ono thelduin."

"Atra du evarίnya ono varda."

"You're majesty, my brother has betrayed us all. He has teamed up with the dragons and plans to use them to destroy our race. I assure you, he is not part of this family anymore, and no one in this family shall follow in his footsteps."

"This is terrible news!" The queen exclaimed, horrified. "We must fight this new development. What do you say, my husband?" The king nodded his head.

"It is absolutely necessary that we either destroy the dragons or make peace with them. Since the latter seems unlikely we must put our best spellcasters to the job of destroying them. We may also need others to destroy any eggs or young of their kind. None can survive." I looked up in shock at the king. He had never killed something unnecessarily before, let alone asked for an entire race to be wiped out. It wasn't like him. I decided to look further into this, but now wasn't the time. "Of course Your Majesty's," I said respectfully. "Shall I convince Rhunon to make us some swords?" I enquired. Rhunon was the best smith Ellesmera, and possibly Du Weldenvarden, had.

"We shall see," Queen Tamunora answered. "We may not need them yet."

* * *

Five years passed, but this time I didn't fall into a sense of security when there was none. I trained vigilantly. Now my son trains vigilantly. He is already a capable spellcaster and an expert swordsman. He waits for the chance to prove himself worthy, but the war has not yet started. I, and many others, must prepare the elves by going on scouting trips, spying on the enemy and looking for alliances with dwarf clans. Many return, but some do not.

I lie on my bed writing this last part of my story. A dragon had spotted me on one of my scouting trips, and injured me greatly. I know I am going to die soon, and I keep a record of my journey in the hope that others may learn from my experiences and be warned of and prepared for the danger.

* * *

**AN- Wow, it took me ages to find this old story. Its not brilliant, I did start writing it a few years ago. Anyways, I hope you all enjoy this story, and please remember to review!**

**Disclaimer- I do not own Eragon**


	2. Chapter 1

I am Eragon, son of Nari and Arylindia. This is my story.

I circled the elf opposite me, studying her stance. A muscle twitched in her right leg and I jumped over her. I landed facing her back, and slashed at her. As quick as I was, she was just that little bit faster. The elf jumped forwards and parried my slash so easily that she could have known what I was going to do. I dived to the side, barely dodging the cut she had aimed at my ribs. I landed facing her, and bowed in respect.

When I looked up, she already had her sword in its sheath and was gulping down water, even though she hadn't broken a sweat.

"Good work Eragon," she commented, a hint of pride in her voice. "That was very well spotted. I doubt there would be more than a handful of elves that could have done better." We sat on the grass, sitting in a companionable silence for a few minutes.

"Master, why must we be at war with the dragons?" I asked, wondering if this was not the time for this conversation. "I'm sure we could learn a lot from them." _Like some different magic and how to get along,_ I thought sourly.

All this killing didn't appeal to me. No one knew this of course. Not even my father. He thought I was all for the killing of dragons and my uncle. But it disturbed me greatly.

My master, Celestica, sighed after a few minutes and answered. "When your uncle was ignored by the queen, he joined up with the dragons. He wanted to kill all the dwarves, but Tamunora would not allow it. You see, she thought that eventually we could befriend the dwarves, and end the small skirmishes between the two races. But your uncle thought otherwise, so he convinced the dragons that the other elves and the dwarves were going to kill them all, that he was the only one who wanted the dwarves destroyed besides the dragons themselves. Of course, there were some dragons who thought him an idiot, but those few were quickly silenced. The dragons teamed up with him, and that's how the war with the dragons began. The last few years have been used to prepare us for the war and slaughter them, their young and their eggs, and to try to discover what the dragons intend to do." Celestica leaned against a tree and relaxed, sighing with pleasure. "I don't think you want to kill the dragons, do you?" my master asked suddenly, and I slowly shook my head. She looked at me, almost approvingly, I thought. I decided to put my theory to the test.

"Do you want to kill the dragons?" I asked shyly, my curiosity heightened. Celestica looked at me, appraising my expression.

"Just between you and me, no I don't. I believe we can learn much from them, and they from us." I looked at my master, surprised. That was exactly the thought I had had. I almost told her this when a messenger came running into the clearing where we sat.

"A dragon is waiting at the edge of Du Weldenvarden," he gasped, out of breath. "She wants to speak to someone with high abilities in spellcasting and swordsmanship, because she thinks they might be able to help her."

The messenger looked sceptical. I looked at my master, Celestica, and realised that it was her that the dragon wanted to speak to. She looked down at me, smiling, and surprised me by saying, "Eragon, you're coming with me."

I wasn't the only one she surprised. The messenger gasped loudly, then had the grace to look ashamed. "You will need to tell the king and queen that Eragon will be accompanying me to meet this dragon." The messenger gulped, nodded, and gulped again before turning and sprinting to the palace.

"Why me?" I asked Celestica, as she looked down at me. I was surprised when she actually answered my question.

"Because you are destined for great things. I can feel it." Without another word she started her journey to the edge of Du Weldenvarden. She slowed down to let me catch up then started running again. The journey to the edge of the forest took the rest of the day, even though we were sprinting. When we finally arrived I gasped as a huge dragon gazed down at us.

"What is your name?" My master asked calmly, staring up at the dragon in almost comfort.

_Kiyo_, the dragon answered through her thoughts, unable to speak.

"I am Celestica and this is my apprentice, Eragon," she replied. "What may we do for you?"

_I do not wish for our races to fight. We need to live in harmony, or surely we shall kill each other off. Is it possible to form a pact between dragons and elves that can stop the slaughtering_?

I stood in silence, pondering the question. Wouldn't it be great to be able to ride a dragon? I suddenly looked up at my master, an idea forming in my mind.

"Master," I said out loud, not wanting to insult the dragon, "what if we formed a group of elves that lived with the dragons and worked together to keep the peace?" I asked, then turned to the dragon. "Would that work?" I asked Kiyo.

_It's a possibility,_ she replied.

"I'm amazed Eragon. That's a wonderful idea!" Celestica exclaimed.

The only problem is, we will need the dragons to agree to the idea. The ones who disagree with this war and are capable of convincing the others are in hiding. This is how my story begins.

* * *

**AN- Jumped right into the story, didn't I. Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, please read and review!**


	3. Chapter 2

I was flying. It's a wonderful experience, soaring through the air and feeling free. But I was on a mission with only limited time for enjoyment. I had to help find the dragons willing to team up with the elves and stop the war between our races once and for all.

Kiyo flew up high, trying to avoid the detection of elves and unfriendly dragons. Unfortunately, it didn't always work. About two days into our journey a large black spot appeared on the horizon. I shivered, hoping it was just a very large bird. About an hour after we saw this, the black spot came into focus. I gasped, my voice whipped away by the wind. A powerful emerald green dragon was flying towards us, and fast.

Kiyo dropped into a steep dive so suddenly that I nearly went straight over her head. The green dragon just kept flying in a straight line, unaware of the fact that there was an elf on Kiyo's back. After such a close call we decided to stick to flying at night and hiding during the day. We decided to start our search with the Hadarac Desert. It seemed a good place to start as the vast expanse was perfect for hiding a dragon. A week into the search we ran into two small red dragons.

Kiyo looked to be more than a match for the both of them. Since we didn't know whether the two dragons were friendly or not, I had to hide behind a sand dune. Kiyo approached the two small dragons carefully. They looked up at her approach, one walking forwards boldly, the other shyly following behind.

_My name is Griaule. This is Tiamat. Who are you?_

_I am Kiyo. I have come on a mission. It is necessary that I find dragons friendly towards my cause._

_What's your cause?_ Tiamat piped up.

_I'm looking for smart dragons like you to help me end the war between elves and dragons. Can you help me?_ she added, batting her eyes at the two dragons standing before her.

The two young dragons deliberated for a few minutes. Tiamat seemed to really like the idea, but Griaule seemed reluctant. Eventually they came to a decision.

_I'm coming with you!_ Tiamat said enthusiastically.

Griaule hung his head. _I'd love to help but if I get caught I'll be killed_, he said apologetically.

_That's alright, little one,_ Kiyo murmured. _I understand completely_.

Kiyo returned, the little dragon following behind her. He walked up and over the sand dune, but when he saw me he hid behind Kiyo.

He growled at me, saying, _Quick Kiyo, drive it away!_

I stood and walked over to Kiyo, calmly patting her on the nose.

"My name is Eragon," I said reassuringly to Tiamat. "I'm here to help."

Tiamat looked ashamed of himself.

_Sorry. I didn't realise that we would be working with an elf from the beginning. I thought we only had to meet them at the end. _

Kiyo shook her head, laughing. _Elves don't exactly trust us. They need one of their own to go on the trip to make sure we don't double cross them. _A look of understanding dawned on Tiamat's face.

We flew on, Tiamat occasionally hitching a ride. We flew over the rest of the desert, spotting dragons here and there, though never landing to meet any.

_Their thoughts are too sinister,_ Kiyo warned me when I asked. _They are bragging about how many elves they will kill in an upcoming hunt._ I dropped the subject after hearing that final statement. _We need to land soon,_ Kiyo said wearily. _I'm getting tired._

I was just grateful for the chance to stretch my legs and rest. Kiyo found a ring of sand dunes that would protect us from sudden weather changes. We made camp then lay back and relaxed. Tiamat sat beside me and asked endless questions about my race.

_Can you use magic? Is it true you don't eat meat? Are you really immortal?_ The questions went on and on. Finally, Kiyo told him to let me get some rest. I was grateful for that. I suddenly realised that I was forming a special bond with Kiyo. I hoped it wouldn't get me into trouble.

The next night was pretty uneventful except for one thing: the elf attack. We were flying towards the visible edge of the Hadarac Desert when a strange consciousness reached out. Instinctively I shielded my mind, warning the dragons to do the same. But something about that strange consciousness was familiar. I suddenly realised what. It was an elf! There was an elf somewhere below us. I lowered my shield and tried to communicate with the other elf, but their shield was impenetrable. I urged Kiyo to fly lower, and then called out to the elf below.

"I am a friend! Listen to me without causing us harm! We do not wish to harm you!"

The elf lowered her shields, and said, _Who are you? And why are you riding a dragon?_

_I am Eragon. I am on a mission to unite the elves with the dragons and end this war before we are all killed. What is your business out here?_

_I am Orethia. I am a runaway because I did not wish to war with the dragons. Land and I will be able to tell you more but promise me the dragons will not harm me._

_We are coming._

We landed next to Orethia, causing her to jump backwards in fright. "Don't be afraid," I murmured reassuringly. "They will not harm you." Kiyo walked forwards and inspected Orethia. Tiamat took a few steps forward then retreated behind Kiyo. Orethia stood frozen with fear and wonder. The scene remained like this for a few seconds more, then Kiyo lay down with a sigh and broke the silence.

"How have you come to be here?" I asked Orethia. She looked at me shyly for a moment before she sat and started her story.

"This story begins with my father. He went on one of his scouting trips two years ago, but didn't return when he should have. A week after the return date, the rest of his group turned up without him. A dragon had killed my father. I hated dragons so much from that moment; I saw fit to take my father's place in the next scouting trip. We marched to the edge of the Hadarac Desert, where we met a gold dragon. She was injured and could not fly. She tried to defend herself but we killed her. Afterwards, I was sent to destroy any eggs or young found in that area. I found a baby dragon, who walked up to me and started nudging my leg. I was repulsed by the fact that something so innocent did not have a mother anymore, and decided to defend dragons. I took the baby dragon with me and ran away from the scouting group. I have looked after her ever since."

There was a silence, which was broken by Kiyo. _Where is this dragon now?_

Orethia looked behind her and whistled. A small gold dragon walked towards her, almost seeming to smile.

_I am glad you have looked after this little one,_ Kiyo whispered gratefully.

Orethia looked pleased. "I wanted to make it up to her after the scouts killed her mother." She said in a rush.

_I think that was very responsible of you. I thank you with all my heart._ Kiyo bowed her head and rumbled softly. Orethia was stunned.

"You don't blame me for her mother's death?" She asked, shocked.

_Of course not. You saved her child. I cannot thank you enough_.

"Will you come with us, Orethia?" I said.

"O-of course," she stuttered. "Will I have to ride the dragon?" She looked terrified at the very idea.

"You will," I said carefully, measuring her expression.

"Is it scary?"

I looked at her, carefully thinking over my answer. "It's the best feeling on earth. You feel so free."

* * *

**AN- And another elf has joined the cause. Please review! Or Kiyo will take you up and drop you!**


	4. Chapter 3

"All we have to do is stay unnoticed. Does everyone understand what to do in an emergency?" I asked, hoping they did. I'd already explained the plan three times and it was starting to wear on me. Everyone nodded, except for Shen Lung.

_Can anyone else hear that?_

We all quieted down and listened. I could hear a faint rustling coming from about ten metres away. I crept closer to the source of the noise, and found myself face to face with the dwarf Orethia and I had spotted earlier. We both yelped and jumped back in surprise. The dwarf turned and ran, yelling something I couldn't quite understand. I returned to the others, who looked just as surprised as I felt.

"I think we should go now," I told them, surprisingly calm. Suddenly everything was in chaos. Orethia and I packed the gear and jumped quickly onto Kiyo, with Shen Lung and Tiamat not far behind. Neither could launch themselves into the air quickly enough, and the dwarf could be back any minute with reinforcements.

Kiyo took off in a rush of air, leaving the ground far behind in seconds. We flew as far along the spine as we dared, knowing that at any minute a dwarf might spot us. When it got too dark to fly safely we landed in a clearing next to a roaring river. We decided to spend the night in that clearing, and leave as soon as it was light enough.

I awoke suddenly as a roar split the night air. Without a word Orethia and I sprang up, packed our gear for the fifth time that night, and jumped onto Kiyo's back. Shen Lung and Tiamat leaped into the air, closely followed by Orethia, Kiyo and I. We flew as fast as possible, even flying at low altitudes, keen to save the dragon that now sounded as if it was being tortured to within an inch of its life. When we reached the place the roar had originated from, a horrifying scene met our eyes.

"Oh no!" was all Orethia could say. I was silenced in shock and horror.

About thirty dwarves had cornered a dragon. He was a gorgeous blue, similar to Kiyo, with glittering scales. But his wings were torn and blood was pouring from a wound in his belly. Just to the side of this fiasco another scene was playing out.

Six dwarves separate to the main group had thrown a net over a baby dragon. They were poking it with spears, laughing as it cried out in pain. Kiyo roared and breathed a white hot jet of flame. Orethia and I shot at the dwarves with our arrows and the two smaller dragons dive-bombed them, careful to steer clear of their weapons. The dwarves scattered in fear, cursing the dragons and elves.

We landed next to the adult dragon, Kiyo still growling menacingly. I jumped off her back and ran to the wound in his belly, Orethia not far behind. We inspected the wound, healing what we could while Kiyo kept the dragon calm. The gash was deep, and he'd lost a lot of blood. I looked sadly at Orethia and shook my head. He wasn't going to make it.

Tiamat and Shen Lung ran over to the baby dragon, chattering away excitedly at the thought of having a new friend. I'm sorry, I said to Kiyo. He's not going to make it. The dragon collapsed onto his side, shuddering. _Please,_ he whispered. _Look after my baby._

_We must look after his baby. It's his dying wish._

I nodded my head in agreement. "It looks like we have another orphan on our hands," I told Orethia.

We walked towards the little dragon. I gasped when I saw how majestic she was for such a small dragon. She squawked and screeched as we neared her. The poor thing was scared out of her wits.

_There, there little one,_ Kiyo murmured reassuringly. _You're safe now._

While she was being calmed down, Orethia and I moved away to discuss what to do next.

"We need to take her with us." I looked at Orethia, surprised that she would think that we would leave the dragon here. "She's so young, and she's been tortured too badly to-"

"I know," I interrupted her speech. She looked surprised, and slightly hurt. "Don't worry, we would never leave her here to fend for herself when the dwarves could come back at any minute."

"Sorry," Orethia mumbled apologetically.

"It's fine," I reassured her. Kiyo walked towards us, the little blue dragon walking behind her.

_This is Saphira,_ she told me.

"Hello Saphira," I said, crouching in front of her. "My name is Eragon, and this is my friend Orethia. We need your help with a project of ours that can stop this cruelty. Will you help us?"

_Of course I will,_ Saphira answered. _I don't want others to suffer what I did. It's just not right._

* * *

**AN- Hmm, I think maybe Eragon and Kiyo should find some older dragons. Younger ones are just too cute and small for a fight. Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Please review!**


	5. Chapter 4

We travelled on, Saphira by our side. We were three days away from the city of Ceunon. Shen Lung and Tiamat were now strong enough to be ridden. Orethia now rode Shen Lung as it was deemed safer. Tiamat carried the gear we had between us. Saphira flew alongside, ken to help but not yet strong enough.

Six days away from Ceunon, Orethia discovered a dragon skull. Shen Lung and Saphira rushed towards it, keen to explore. Tiamat tagged along behind, not sure whether he wanted to explore or not. Five minutes later, while Orethia and I were discussing where to go next, we heard a small growl. Rushing over to see what was wrong, at first I missed the new consciousness touching my mind, assuming it was one of the small dragons. As I got nearer, a feeling over great loneliness swept over me, overwhelming me in pity for what I knew not. When I found the source of this lonely consciousness, I was shocked.

A stone, black as a starless night, was resting in a far corner of the skull. It was a similar size to a dragon's egg my dad had shown me. I walked towards it, mesmerised. It was almost as if it was calling me. Orethia's voice called out, as if from deep within a fog.

"Eragon! Come back!" I hesitated, confused.

_What am I doing_, a far corner of my mind said. _It could be dangerous_.

The stone called again, louder and more urgent. I stumbled towards it, as if I was in a trance. I reached the stone and touched it, feeling its cool surface for a split second before images flashed through my mind.

The face of a large dragon, staring at me, love emanating from its thoughts. The ground rushing to meet me, then falling away again. Arrows aimed at my wings and heart. A burning pain in my shoulder, while blood dripped to the ground.

I awoke at the touch of a cool hand against my forehead.

"He's waking up!" a voice called in relief and excitement.

"What happened?" I asked, dazed and slightly groggy. As my eyes adjusted I realised I was in a cave of some sort. Not a cave, a skull. Then it all came rushing back, and I sat up quickly, dizzying myself.

"You touched that weird stone thing and had a fit or something," Orethia said in a hushed voice. "It was scary!"

"That stone is called an Eldunari," I said, surprising Orethia and myself. The dragons just nodded.

I searched for Kiyo, and saw her curled up in the corner. I could feel a great sadness in her.

_What's the matter?_ I asked, upset.

_That's my father's Eldunari,_ she said sadly.

_What is an Eldunari?_ I asked curiously. Kiyo settled into a more comfortable position.

_You may want to get comfortable. This is going to be a long story._

_Legend says that long ago, before elves arrived in Alagaesia, an earth tremor awoke the first dragon from his slumber. He was very angry at the earth, so he decided to punish it. Every time the earth shook beneath his feet or rumbled and snarled at him, he tore at the ground and breathed fire on nearby trees. He was so large, his anger at the earth created the mountains and valleys, the rivers and lakes, the ridges and ravines. He kept this up for years on end, but he knew that his race would die out if he did not find a mate. No one would be able to continue to punish the earth, which would claim his skeleton, mocking him for eternity. With this thought in mind, he set off to look for the largest mountain in all of Alagaesia._

_He found one such mountain in the Spine, bringing it to life by breathing on it. This use of magic weakened him greatly, causing him to fall ill. Not wanting to leave his mate and children, he disgorged his heart of hearts, his Eldunari, and imprinted his consciousness on it. His mate looked after it, carrying it with her when she flew, and placing it in spots with wonderful views of the land. In this way, the first dragon's spirit lived on with his mate and children for as long as they lived. _

_Seeing what he had done, some of his children copied him. But others thought of it as a curse, and swore to never tie themselves down to earth, to be trapped in a world they no longer belonged to. That is how the Eldunari came to be._

"I understand," I said quietly. We sat together in a companionable silence for a while, watching the young dragons playing. In that moment, I suddenly realised how close Orethia was next to me. I got up and walked towards one of the eye sockets, needing some space.

A magnificent scene met my eyes, yet I was horrified. Two dragons, one black and one red, were fighting. The sky was lit with their fire, banishing all blue and green colours, and turning the clouds blood red.

As I was watching the fight, I didn't notice Orethia until she said, "How horrible. Dragons shouldn't fight each other. They'll die out."

Just then the black dragon dived at the red one from higher up, and they both hit the ground with a rumble like thunder. As we watched, the red dragon clambered to her feet and flew away, but the black dragon did not move. Kiyo, who had been watching the fight from the other eye socket, rushed over to the fallen dragon.


	6. Chapter 5

Orethia and I followed, worried. The dragon wasn't moving. When I got closer, I realised why. There was a deep gash on his right foreleg. He was growling at me, warning me to stay away from him.

_Why are you doing this to me?_ He asked wearily. _Why do you mock me?_

I looked around at the others, but their faces were showed only concern for the wounded dragon. His speech was for me and me alone.

_I'm not here to mock you,_ I said, confused. _I'm here to help._

He looked at me, his expression just as confused and surprised as I felt.

_But you are the one who set that dragon after me._

I looked up as I heard a gasp behind me. Everyone had heard that last statement.

_You are out to kill all elves, dragons and dwarves._

I shook my head, slightly annoyed.

_That's my uncle._

Now the dragon shook his head. _It's you as well. You're trying to destroy your half-brother, remember? Did you hit your head again?_

Understanding dawned on Orethia's face, but I was still in the dark. "Do you think that elf is male or female?" she asked suddenly, pointing at me.

The dragon looked at her and said, _That elf is female. She is the daughter of Arylindia and Lamah. She sent that dragon to kill me._

"I was male last time I checked," I said, slightly hysterical. "My name is Eragon and I am on a mission to unite the elves and dragons. Can you help us?" I added.

He looked up in surprise at those words. _You want to unite the dragons and the elves?_ he asked, incredulous. _Then, that means you are Alale__ä__'s half-brother! I will help you. I'm keen to stop this fighting._

I stared at him for a minute. "Just one question: What's your name?" I asked and everyone burst out laughing.

_My name is Shrukai._

I felt a sense of satisfaction that I hadn't felt in months. We needed only one more dragon to be able to complete the ceremony. We were so close to the end of our quest, I could taste it. We continued our journey, passing the city of Urû'baen. After the fight between Shrukai and the red dragon we travelled a little more warily. Kiyo said we needed to find a dragon elder.

We searched Urû'baen and part of Gil'ead but to no avail. We did, however, meet plenty of dragons willing to help us. These dragons would protect us while the ceremony was being performed.

Upon arriving at the northern reaches of the Spine, a weird tingling feeling started in my head. I realised this was a strong and ancient magic, and warned the others to be cautious. We reached a dark cave set in the wall of the mountain at about noon that day, the tingling sensation growing stronger with each step.

I walked cautiously into the cave, curious yet afraid at the same time. I breathed in deeply, trying to relax, when a horrible smell hit me. It was the smell of rotting flesh, stale air and something I couldn't quite put my finger on. Behind the smell, something sinister lurked in the shadows, waiting. I unsheathed my sword as quietly as possible and readied myself for an attack. I breathed through my mouth, trying to shut out the smell.

Orethia spoke a word in the ancient language, conjuring a werelight. It hung over our heads, lighting the room and the grotesque figure lying in front of us. It had the head, wings and forelegs of an eagle, but the torso, hind legs and tail of a mountain lion. Its feathers were dull, and its fur was matted. The creature was very old and nearing death as we stood there.

I stumbled towards it, knowing it could be very dangerous. I touched its feathers, and images flashed chaotically through my mind for the second time on this journey. The face of a large bird staring at me. The sky spinning in dizzying circles, with the ground getting closer then falling away again. Fire and short men chasing me. A dark cave and an overwhelming sense of loneliness.

This time I didn't collapse, but I was very dazed when I came out of the trance.

_I'm the last of my race_, she hissed sadly. _The dwarves caused our race to die out until only I remained._

_What are you?_ I asked, curious.

_I am a griffin,_ she replied. _We are distant cousins to your dragon friends._

_What is your name?_ I hoped I hadn't been rude.

_My name is Sharpclaw. What is yours?_

I looked at everyone, pointing to each and saying his or her name. _I am Eragon and this is my friend, Orethia. The dragons are Kiyo, Tiamat, Shen Lung, Saphira and Shrukai. We are looking for a dragon elder to help us. It is absolutely necessary. Do you know of any who live around here?_ I asked hopefully.

She looked at me with an eye so deep I nearly fell into it. _There is one living in a cave not far from here. You could always try her. _I thanked her.

"We appreciate your help."

We left her in the cave, sorry to see such a wonderful creature very near extinction. _I wish we could do something to save her race from extinction,_ I said sadly to Shrukai.

We travelled further into the mountain range, Kiyo and the other dragons in the air, while Orethia and I walked. We soon found the cave Sharpclaw had told us about, approaching carefully. As we neared the entrance, I saw a glittering emerald green light near the back of the cave. I walked forwards, hoping it wasn't what I thought it was.

My heart grew heavy with sorrow. It was, as I feared, another Eldunari. I touched it, but this time no memories of another being flooded my mind.

Instead another consciousness asked, _Who are you?_

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**AN- Another chapter done. I hope it makes some sense. Anyways, please review.**


	7. Chapter 6

_My name is Eragon. I am a friend, I replied cautiously._

_What are you doing in my cave? she asked._

_Seeking someone who can help us._

_What do you need help with?_

_We need help to end the war between dragons and elves._

_How can I help? _

_We are seeking to form a bond between elves and dragons so that peace may be achieved._

Orethia tapped my shoulder. I shrugged her off, listening to the dragon.

_What is your name?_ I asked her.

She replied, _My name is Tanith_.

Orethia tapped my shoulder again. I turned to tell her to stop badgering me. I froze, staring at the figure standing in the entrance to the cave. She was a young girl with shaggy black hair and long canine teeth. Her fingers were tipped with sharp claws and she was barefoot.

"Who are you?" I asked, nervous. She looked familiar, but I couldn't quite remember where I'd seen her.

"I am known as Quicktongue, Sharpwit and Midnight, but you may call me Leah."

Orethia just stood there with her mouth hanging open, stunned.

"You're a werecat aren't you," I gasped. "Do you know Maud? She also goes by the name of Quickpaw."

"Ah yes, how is my darling sister these days? It's been quite a while since I last talked to her."

"She's your sister?" Orethia burst out. Now I was the speechless one.

"Yes, though she does look a fair bit older than me doesn't she?"

I stood there, gaping with an open mouth. Maud looked old enough to be Leah's grandmother! My head snapped up when I heard a horrified gasp. A shaggy black cat was standing in front of me, exactly where Leah had been.

_Now listen closely_, a voice in my head told me. I thought I'd lost my mind. Then I realised it was the cat talking to me.

_When you need a weapon, give Rhunon a skyrock. When dragons and elves are one, tell the Menoa Tree _Skulblaka_. Remember my advice. You would do well by it._

Leah turned and ran, disappearing almost instantly. It took me a minute to remember where I was, but when I did I realised something was off. A huge thud vibrated through the air. About two seconds later there was another thud. This continued for a few minutes, each thud louder than the last.

"Of course!" Orethia cried suddenly. "It's wing beats!"

The ground shook and my knees buckled. I turned around, and there was Tanith. She glittered like a giant emerald.

"Hello Tanith," I said. Everyone stared at me. "She contacted me through her Eldunari," I explained patiently. "They can use their Eldunari to contact the ones who have it with them." Understanding dawned on everyone's faces. "Why did you come back to your cave when I found your Eldunari?" Tanith stared at me.

_Because we can be controlled if someone has our Eldunari while we are still alive. If this knowledge was to fall into the wrong hands, Alagaesia would fall into ruin_.

I stared, shocked. "That cannot be good," I said in horror.

"No, really?" Orethia said sarcastically. I stared at her, surprised. I had never heard her that sarcastic before.

"What's eating you?" I asked, a little harshly. Orethia laughed.

"Do you know how weird that just sounded? Exceptionally weird, considering you are covered in leeches." I looked down in horror. Black leeches covered my legs. I looked over at Orethia, only to see her calmly pulling leeches off her legs.

"Oh! So that's what was eating you!" I said. Orethia started giggling and set me off. Soon both of us were on the floor and laughing hysterically. The dragons just stared at us with amusement in their eyes.

We eventually got all of the leeches off our legs. Saphira and Tiamat had a lot of fun hunting out leeches and squishing them. Orethia and I watched, amused at their game. Again I felt that feeling of closeness that I had never felt around anyone else. I shifted away, wondering why I felt so strange.

Suddenly Tanith roared, and I very nearly jumped out of my skin. A short figure stood in the entrance of the cave. The figure approached warily, unsure of what was in the cave. I muttered a word in the ancient language and a werelight was conjured. It hovered over our heads, lighting the cave. I laughed in relief as I recognised Leah, lowering the sword I had unsheathed moments ago.

"What are you doing here?" I asked her, still relieved. She looked at me gravely.

_I have come to warn you. Dwarves are travelling to this cave as we speak. They know that a dragon lives here and they want to kill her_.

I looked over at Tanith_. Will you come with us?_ I asked her, unsure of her intentions.

She looked at me and snorted. _Of course I will_, she said. _Did you really think I'd be that easy to get rid of? _

We started on our way back to Ellesmera, flying over Gil'ead and Urû'baen. We arrived at the Hadarac Desert. We replenished our water store before we started across the desert. I had ways to get water but they were tiring, so I conserved my strength.

We took turns to look out for trouble while we were flying. We were bound to attract attention as there were so many dragons flying together and two elves riding a dragon. One day, when it was my turn to watch for trouble, a ray of sunlight was reflected into my eye. I looked back as we flew past, and asked Kiyo to land. I walked back towards the object, careful in case someone who wanted to harm me was nearby. As I got nearer to the object, I realised it was a small diamond. When I reached the diamond I realised it wasn't that small after all. I dug it out of the sand, and ran back to the others.

"Take a look at this." They all admired the gem, which was as big as a dragon egg. I placed it in one of the saddlebags strapped to Tiamat and we took off.

_What did you find?_ Kiyo asked, curious. I glanced at the others, wondering if I should tell them or not. Kiyo sensed the hesitation. _You don't have to tell them._ I sighed, and stretched.

_I found a large diamond. When I touched it I sensed a great magic in it. I'm not sure what it does, though._ I sighed again. _Why does my life have to be full of mystery?_

I lay back and relaxed as much as I could. Watching the clouds scudding past, I wondered why it was that Kiyo had known what I was unsure of. How could she know that I didn't want to tell the others?

A sudden gust of wind jolted me out of my daydream and, to my horror, the saddle on Kiyo's back. I fell through the air, slowing my descent with magic when a large talon hooked around my waist, stopping my fall as suddenly as it had started. I looked up to see everyone staring at me. Orethia and Kiyo were both looking so horrified that I just had to laugh.

"You should have seen the looks on your faces," I told Orethia and Kiyo, laughing hysterically. "It was hilarious."

I wiped the tears of laughter from my face and stared at them. Orethia looked angry with herself and slightly hurt. Kiyo looked furious.

_It is no laughing matter_, she said sternly. _You could have been seriously hurt._

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**Woo! Another chapter done! Sorry for the slow update, I'm swamped atm. Updates will be a lil from now on, I have so much homework and QTAC crap to get through. Anyways, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Please review! Or Kiyo won't catch you when you fall.**


	8. Chapter 7

_We must find the dragon elders if we are to complete this mission,_ Kiyo said.

We had been flying over Alagaesia for many days now, not sure where to begin our search.

"Where could they be hiding? How do you hide some of the oldest and largest dragons?" Orethia asked, sounding irritated.

"I'm sure we'll find them. We just need a starting place. What of the islands that lie southwest of here?"

_It is possible. The journey is long and treacherous, however. Storms are wont to spring up over the sea. If we go to the islands, the little ones must stay behind, hidden._

_That's not fair!_ Tiamat exclaimed.

_I want to come too! _Saphira pouted.

"I'm sorry, but the journey is too dangerous. We can't risk it."

_You can't leave us behind on our own either. That's more dangerous than flying to the islands,_ Tiamat reasoned. I spoke to Kiyo.

_Kiyo, they're right. We have to take them with us._

_Oh alright. This is going to be difficult, I hope you know._

I turned to Tiamat and Saphira, and laughed at how hopeful they looked. "Alright, you can come with us."

Tiamat and Saphira leapt around each other, thrilled. They turned and jumped on me, knocking me to the ground. I laughed and tried to extricate myself from the tangle of limbs, wings and tails.

_I'm sure we can protect the little ones, _Tanith murmured. She watched the younger ones attacking me, amusement radiating from her thoughts.

_I didn't know you cared so much for them,_ I said to her alone.

_Of course I do. I'm yet to have a little one of my own, and this is the closest I have ever been._

I watched Tanith, glad we had met her and that she had decided to join us. A large shadow passed over the earth, and I glanced up. Something was circling above us. It looked similar to a dragon, but very different at the same time. Its body was slender and snake-like, and its wings had large claws at the end.

_Kiyo, what is that? _

She glanced up, and snorted. Alarm raced through her body and mine, and I shuddered.

_It is a Fanghur. We need to leave, now. Where there is one, there are usually two or three more that you can't see. If we don't go, the little ones are in danger._

I turned to Orethia, and pointed up. She looked up and glanced at me, puzzled.

"We need to go. That is a Fanghur, and if we don't leave, we could all be in danger."

Orethia nodded, and talked to Tiamat and Saphira. I turned to Tanith, who seemed on edge.

_What's wrong?_

_There are more nearby. One may not pose much of a threat to a larger dragon, but three or four are a danger even to us. We must hurry._

I leapt onto Kiyo's back and Orethia climbed onto Tanith's. Saphira joined Orethia, and Tiamat sat on my lap. They were not yet fast enough to escape this threat, and so had to join us. Kiyo and Tanith leapt into the air, climbing higher and higher as fast as they could. The Fanghur followed, and was soon joined by three more.

A horrible echoing screech sounded in my head, and I yelled out.

_What is that?!_ I asked Kiyo.

_It is their way of hunting. They disable their prey with the screeching and move in while it is unable to fight back. We have to get out of here now!_

A Fanghur snapped at Kiyo's neck, and missed by centimetres. She twisted her neck and breathed fire. The Fanghur plummeted to the ground, screeching. The others backed away, following from a distance. Slowly Kiyo and Tanith pulled farther and farther ahead of the Fanghur, and they fell back, returning to their hunting grounds.

_That was close. I hope we don't run into any more of them._

_We shouldn't. The Fanghur are low in numbers, and restrict their hunting grounds to small areas. We should be free of them until we pass through there again._

I leant back, relaxing and enjoying the wind on my face. Slowly my headache began to recede, and I grinned. It felt so great to be flying. Glancing down, I saw that Tiamat was staring out at the open space longingly.

_Kiyo, can we let the little ones fly now? They seem anxious to stretch their wings._

_Of course. Hold on!_

Kiyo dove sharply, closely followed by Tanith. Tiamat and Saphira, unprepared for the sudden change, were thrown from their backs. They fell about 50m before spreading their wings and catching the air beneath them.

_Kiyo, that was mean! You could have just told us we were allowed to fly now!_ Saphira growled, nose to nose with Kiyo. Tiamat was enjoying the freedom, flying through the air as though he was a fish gracefully swimming through the water. He darted here and there, clearly having fun.

_Come on Saphira, that was fun! Admit it! You enjoyed it!_

_I did not! …Well, maybe a little._

I laughed as I watched them play. How could people hate dragons so much? Soon we had reached the coast. Tiamat and Saphira enjoyed playing in the waves and sand, and we let them while we planned our journey.

_We have to get across the ocean as fast as possible. The longer we stay out there, the more danger we will be in._

_Kiyo, what of the little ones? _

_They will have to be content with riding on us. They will not be able to keep up otherwise._

I glanced at them. _They aren't going to like this._

Before we began our journey across the ocean, we ensured that everything was packed away safely and securely tied to either Kiyo or Tanith. We then climbed onto the dragons and tied ourselves down, as well as Tiamat and Saphira. They weren't happy, but it was for their own safety.

_Everyone ready? Here we go!_

We flew over the ocean as fast as Tanith and Kiyo could fly. The weather was quite pleasant at first, but soon dark clouds began forming on the horizon.

_Everyone hold on! _

The wind hit us first. It raced around us in all different directions, buffeting Tanith and Kiyo. We were blown each and every way, and I feared we had lost our bearings. Then the rain hit, and soon we were all soaked and freezing cold. Lightning flickered in the clouds above us, daring us to come closer.

Kiyo and Tanith suddenly flew straight up, trying to break through the clouds. As we passed through the storm, the lightning made my hair stand on end, every last hair on my body. I glanced at Orethia and gasped when I saw how beautiful she looked. The lightning seemed to light her eyes from within, and her hair floated around her like a halo. She looked like a goddess of war, flying through the storm on the back of a dragon.

She turned to me, and smiled. I stared, puzzled, and she pointed at my hair. I lifted my hand and felt my hair. It must have looked ridiculous. My normally dead straight hair was standing on end, and small sparks were jumping from hair to hair. Grinning, I held on as Kiyo and Tanith struggled to climb higher and higher.

Finally, we broke free of the clouds and stared out over a glowing, silver field. The moon shone down on the clouds, creating fantastic shapes within the shadows and light. We stared in awe for a while, before continuing forward on our journey across the ocean.

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**AN- Sorry for the slow updates, I'm trying to write three different fanfics on three different stories at once. So yea, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Remember to review and tell me what you think!**


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